Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,601 per month in Monterrey vs $1,669 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Monterrey vs $2,562 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,568 per month in Monterrey vs $3,455 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Monterrey is about 4% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Monterrey and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Monterrey by 20%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.01 MX$226

$11.17 MX$194

16.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$53.6 MX$930

0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 MX$177

$9.55 MX$165

6.91%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$63.8

$3.38 MX$58.5

8.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MX$25.34

$1.54 MX$26.72

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.31

$1.09 MX$18.95

-8.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MX$46.70

$2.42 MX$42.00

11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$4.05 MX$70.1

5.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.86

$1.84 MX$31.84

-9.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.43

$2.49 MX$43.21

7.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.41

$2.39 MX$41.45

-19.25%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.57

$2.16 MX$37.47

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 MX$179

$9.50 MX$165

8.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 MX$160

$9.75 MX$169

-5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 MX$240

$14.48 MX$251

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 MX$54.6

$2.57 MX$44.50

22.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.06

$1.48 MX$25.67

-6.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.65

$1.51 MX$26.12

32.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.10

$1.74 MX$30.08

22.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.26

$1.07 MX$18.58

112.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 MX$44.08

$1.71 MX$29.60

48.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$27.14

$2.82 MX$48.95

-44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.53

$1.25 MX$21.74

-14.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$73.6

$4.73 MX$82.0

-10.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 MX$249

$11.60 MX$201

23.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MX$30.87

$1.19 MX$20.61

49.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.23 MX$56.0

-2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$13.89

$0.83 MX$14.36

-3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.54 MX$703

$51.5 MX$892

-21.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 MX$29.11

$4.20 MX$72.8

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.31

$2.81 MX$48.65

-66.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.76 MX$186

$10.34 MX$179

4.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$23.72

$1.32 MX$22.95

3.79%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.7K MX$463.4K

$21.8K MX$377.4K

22.79%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K MX$443.3K

$22.8K MX$395.8K

12.01%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 MX$2,108

$83.2 MX$1,442

46.17%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.19 MX$471

$23.31 MX$404

16.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.82 MX$517

$25.83 MX$448

15.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 MX$667

$43.93 MX$761

-12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 MX$372

$16.12 MX$279

33.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MX$103

$3.89 MX$67.4

52.19%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$346 MX$5,990

$130 MX$2,259

165.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,997 MX$155.9K

$7,781 MX$134.8K

15.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 MX$1,012

$71.3 MX$1,236

-18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 MX$737

$50.8 MX$879

-16.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,896

$91.4 MX$1,583

19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 MX$2,235

$65.8 MX$1,140

96.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 MX$15.8K

$846 MX$14.7K

7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MX$11.2K

$826 MX$14.3K

-21.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 MX$27.1K

$2,201 MX$38.1K

-28.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.3K

$1,482 MX$25.7K

-5.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 MX$75.7K

$3,853 MX$66.8K

13.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,839 MX$49.2K

$2,199 MX$38.1K

29.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,104 MX$19.1K

$805 MX$14.0K

37.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.5

0.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $913 in Monterrey versus $846 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Monterrey, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Monterrey versus $54.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Monterrey vs $287 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur – so Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Monterrey vs Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,402 per month in Monterrey and $2,504 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Monterrey, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 27% less in Monterrey. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $346 per month in Monterrey and $130 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Monterrey, where all-in costs run around $1,601, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,669. In Monterrey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Monterrey – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Monterrey. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.